Shigellosis has resurfaced in Kerala, with a three-year-old child from Kottukal in Thiruvananthapuram district admitted to SAT Hospital with the infection. The child had travelled with her family to Nagercoil on August 12 and reportedly consumed cold drinks from a wayside vendor, after which she developed diarrhoea and vomiting the following day.
The case was confirmed on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, and the child is now recuperating in one of the paediatric wards. In addition to this case, one more case of shigellosis was also reported from Vizhinjam in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday, and three scattered cases from Pazhayannur in Thrissur; Kattipara in Kozhikode and Noolpuzha in Wayanad.
Shigellosis, also known as bacillary dysentery, is a highly contagious bacterial diarrhoeal infection caused by shigella, which is contracted through contaminated food or water. The disease can present with mild symptoms or as severe cases of diarrhoea. Health officials point out that cases of shigellosis are reported sporadically throughout the year from all districts in Kerala, with some cases triggering small local outbreaks.
The infection spreads through contaminated water, food and contact from infected surfaces. While shigellosis is self-limiting in healthy adults, it can be fatal for children under five years, in whom the highest mortality is reported. The elderly and immunocompromised individuals are also highly vulnerable. Symptoms usually appear within one to two days of infection and include fever, diarrhoea, vomiting, nausea, blood in stools, and painful, frequent urges to use the washroom.
The Health department has advised that affected persons use solutions of oral rehydration salts to avoid dehydration and seek treatment if there is no respite in diarrhoea. In June this year, Kerala reported major Shigellosis outbreaks, with over 225 cases and six deaths reported from Kozhikode, Malappuram, and Wayanad districts. As of August 18 this year, as many as 441 confirmed cases, 106 probable cases and eight deaths due to Shigellosis have been reported in the State.
